'Within the protection of law': debating the Australian convict-as-slave narrative. Issue 3 (3rd July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jeppesen, Jennie
• Is Part Of: History Australia. Volume 16:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: 534
• Page End: 548
• Publication Date: 2019-07-03
• Subjects: Convicts -- slavery -- chattel -- abolition rhetoric; Australia -- History -- Periodicals; Australia; History; Periodicals; 905
• DOI: 10.1080/14490854.2019.1636674
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1449-0854

Abstract

Abstract: During the anti-transportation movement of the 1830s–1840s, Australian convicts were often compared to slaves. While these rhetorical arguments were borrowed from the abolition movement in full swing at the time, they also had a basis in the legal status of the convicts who had been sent to British North America between 1611 and the American Revolution. This article brings the status of Australian convicts into comparison with the earlier American convicts.